Table and desk.



W. S. ENIS.

TABLE AND DESK. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 17. 1918.

L%@,%& Patented May 21,1918.

WILLIAM S. ENIS, 0F BOONEVILLE, MISSISSIPPI.

TABLE AND DESK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 21,1918.

Application filed January 17, 1918. Serial No. 212,269.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VViLLIAM S. Ems, a citizen of the United States, residing at Booneville, in the county of Prentiss and State of Mississippi, have invented a new and useful Table and Desk, of which the following is a specification.

The device forming the subject matter of this application is a table, and one object of the invention is to pro videa device of this kind, the legs of which have vertically adjustable extensions, to the end that the top of the table may be disposed horizontally, and may be arranged at an angle to the hori zontal, thereby enabling the structure-to be used either as a common table, or as a desk, presenting an inclined surface.

Another object of the invention is to provide novel means for holding the inner ends of the leg braces engaged with the top of the table. I

It is within the province of the disclosure to improve generally and to enhance the utility of devices of that type to which the present invention appertains.

With the above and other objects in View which will appear as the description pro-- ceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be made within the scope of what is claimed, Without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 shows in side elevation, a table constructed in accordance with the present in vention, parts of the legs being broken away, so that remote elements may appear;

Fig. 2 is a fragmental bottom plan of the table top, the view showing the braces and the retaining means therefor; and

Fig. 3 is a cross section taken approximately on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

The table forming the subject matter of this application includes a top 1 to the under surface of which, cleats 2 are secured. Legs 3 are pivoted at a to the cleats. EX- tensions 5 are tongue and grooved as shown at 6 to the legs 3 for vertical adjustment, the legs 3 being supplied with vertically elongated slots 7 through which pass clamp bolts 8. The heads 9 of the clamp bolts 8 bear against the inner surfaces of the legs 3, and Wing nuts 10 are threaded on the outer ends of the clamp bolts 8, the wing nuts coacting with the extensions 5.

The construction. is such that the lower ends of the legs 3 may rest directly on the floor, under which circumstances, the top 1 will be horizontally disposed, the device thus being made available for use as an ordinary table. If desired, certain of the extensions 5 may be lowered, the clamp bolts 8 sliding downwardly in the slots 7 of the legs and the wing nuts 10 being tightened up, whereupon the top 1 will be disposed atan angle to the horizontal, the structure thus being converted into a desk havinga sloping up per surface.

The legs 3 at the ends of the table are united by cross bars 11 to which the outer ends of braces 12 are pivoted as shown at 141. A' retainer 15 in the form of a block, is attached by securing elements 16 to the under surface of the top 1. At its upper edge, the retainer 15 is provided with atransverse recess 17 and in the lower edge of the retainer there is a transverse notch 18. A keeper 19, in the form of a bar, islocated in the notch 18, the ends of the keeper projecting beyond thesides of the retainer, and being extended beneath the inner ends of the braces 12, so as to support the inner ends of the braces slidably. The keeper 19 is supplied with oppositely extended wings 20, attached by securing elements 21 to the block or retainer 15. The inner ends of the braces 12 are provided, in their lower edges with seats or notches 22, adapted to engage the ends of the keeper 19, it being obvious that when the seats are thus engaged with the ends of the keeper, the legs 3 will be held rigidly against swinging movement on the pivot elements 1. When it is desired to fold the legs 3, the inner ends of the braces 12 are detached from the ends of the keeper 19, whereupon the braces slide in opposite directions, toward each other, on the projecting ends of the keeper bar 19.

Means is provided for maintaining the seats 22 of the braces 12 engaged with the ends of the keeper 19. lVith this end in view, a single helical spring 23 is mounted loosely in the upper recess 17 of the retainer block 15. The spring 23 terminates in oppositely extended arms 2 1 having offset fingers 25 which extend across the upper edges of the inner ends of the braces 12, and downwardly along the outer faces thereof, thearms and the fingers serving to hold the inner ends of the braces 12 yieldably engaged With the ends of the keeper bar 19. When the inner ends of the braces 12 are raised, to disengage the seats 22 from the ends of the keeper 19, the spring 23 aitords the necessary resiliency. Since the keeper l9 isenga'ged in the notch 18 of the retainer 15, the keeper Will not shift its position, oWing to the thrust imparted thereto by the braces 12, and the strainon the securing elements 21 Will be reduced to a minimum. The single helical spring 23, the retainer 15 and the keeper 19-afford a simple means for engaging the-inner ends of the braces 12, a structure being provided Which Will stand hard usage, Without becoming broken or getting out-of order.

Having thus describedthe invention, What is claimed is:

1. A table comprising a top; legs pivoted to the top; braces having seats in their inner ends; means for pivotally connecting the outer ends of the braces with the legs; a retainer secured to the top and disposed between the inner ends of the braces, the retainer having a transverse recess; a trans verse keeper carried bythe retainer and extended beneath the inner ends of the braces,

the keeper cooperating with the seats'of'the braces; and a single helical spring in the recess of the retainer,the spring terminating in oppositely extended arms provided with fingers engaged across the upper edges of the braces, to hold the seats in engagement with the keeper.

2. A table comprising a top; legs pivoted to the top; braces having seats at their inner ends; means for pivotally connecting the outer ends of the braces with the legs; a retainer secured to the top and disposed between the inner ends of the braces, the retainer having a transverse recess in its upper edge and being provided in its lower edge with a transverse notch; a transverse keeper seated in the notch and extended beneath the inner ends of the braces, the keeper cooperating with the seats of the braces, and including a projecting wing; a securing device uniting the wing with the retainer; and a single helical spring in the recess, the spring terminating in oppositely extended arms having transverse fingers overhanging the inner ends of thebraces to hold the seats engaged with the keeper.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

VILLIAM S. ENIS.

Witnesses:

D. L. SADLER, W. L. HAYE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0'. 

